Modified two-phase cycle
A system including a pump, a boiler coupled to the pump, a turbine coupled to the boiler, a two-phase expander coupled to the turbine, and a condenser coupled to the two-phase expander and the pump.
1. A system, comprising:
a pump;
a boiler coupled to the pump;
a turbine coupled to the boiler;
an expander coupled to the turbine, wherein the expander is configured to receive steam from the turbine and expand the steam into a two-phase fluid;
a condenser coupled to the expander; and
a compressor coupled directly to the condenser and the pump, wherein the compressor is configured to receive at least a portion of the two-phase fluid from the condenser and compress the at least the portion of the two-phase fluid into a saturated liquid that is received by the pump.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the expander or the compressor includes a rotary device having a rotor and a plurality of chambers separated by vanes that move along a surface of the rotor.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the vanes move axially in relation to the rotor.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the steam received by the expander comprises superheated steam.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
the expander comprises a positive-displacement expander;
the compressor comprises positive-displacement compressor;
the expander comprises a radial-flow low expander; or
the compressor comprises a centrifugal compressor.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the pump comprises a first pump and the at least the portion of the two-phase fluid comprises a first portion of the two-phase fluid, the system further comprising a second pump coupled to the condenser and the first pump, the second pump configured to receive a second portion of the two-phase fluid from the condenser.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein:
the first portion of the two-phase fluid comprises substantially steam; and
the second portion of the two-phase fluid comprises substantially liquid.
8. A system, comprising:
a pump;
a boiler coupled to the pump;
a turbine coupled to the boiler;
a two-phase expander coupled to the turbine, wherein the two-phase expander is configured to receive saturated steam from the turbine; and
a condenser coupled to the two-phase expander and the pump.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the steam received by the two-phase expander comprises steam having a quality of at least about 97 percent.
10. The system of claim 8 , further comprising a two-phase compressor coupled to the condenser and the pump, wherein the two-phase compressor receives fluid from the condenser, and wherein an output of the two-phase compressor is received by the pump.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the output of the two-phase compressor comprises liquid having a quality of at least about 97 percent.
12. The system of claim 8 , further comprising a generator coupled to the two-phase expander.
13. A method of generating power, the method comprising:
boiling a fluid in a boiler to create superheated steam,
diffusing the superheated steam through a turbine;
expanding the superheated steam in a two-phase expander to create a two-phase fluid;
condensing a first portion of the two-phase fluid in a condenser to create liquid;
compressing a second portion of the two-phase fluid in a compressor to create liquid; and
pumping the liquid into the boiler.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising converting, using one or more generators, a rotational movement of the turbine and the two-phase expander to generate electricity.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the compressor comprises a two-phase compressor.
16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising bypassing the first portion of the two-phase fluid from the compressor to a location after which the second portion of the two-phase fluid is compressed in the compressor.
17. The method of claim 13 , wherein at least one of the two-phase expander or the compressor includes a rotary device.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein:
the rotary device includes a rotor, chambers, and vanes interposed between the chambers; and
the vanes reciprocate parallel to an axis of rotation of the rotor.
19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the liquid comprises water, refrigerant, or ammonia.
20. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a compressor coupled directly to the condenser and the pump, wherein the compressor is configured to receive at least a portion of a two-phase fluid from the condenser and compress the at least the portion of the two-phase fluid into a saturated liquid that is received by the pump.